MAP policy change? 35%

[Unbrokenchain33]

If Amazon doesn't adjust prices won't the lay person just go there instead of any of these dealers?

[wsdavies]

Pretty much.

If Amazon doesn't adjust prices won't the lay person just go there instead of any of these dealers?

[MCM]

never mind.......

[FCM415]

In the end, we (end users and Spyderco) must answer to the dealers' demands and needs. They are the customer.

Sarcasm off.

What I really dislike is that brick and mortar dealers are known to be able to haggle better prices while online dealers cannot. This would be fair if there were knife shops on every corner close to where you live but in my case for example, there is only one dealer who sells the full range Spydercos within a 500 mile radius of where I live in CA in a city I never go to. So what is the point of this really? To keep the last few standing stores open? Perhaps save a BladeHQ building or two? At what cost? This is the internet age, I'll eat my words if I start seeing knife stores pop up in my area but I think turning away online customers is the wrong move.

[MCM]

Most online shops also have a retail outlet.
Everyone of them is getting killed by Amazon.........

[SharpieB]

Most online shops also have a retail outlet.
Everyone of them is getting killed by Amazon.........

Yup.

MAP might not make everyone jump for joy but I really don’t want to buy absolutely everything I require to live (knives, medication, clothes, food, beer, tools, etc.) exclusively from Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Home Depot.

Not as stupid sounding as it was a decade ago....

[ZrowsN1s]

Most online shops also have a retail outlet.
Everyone of them is getting killed by Amazon.........

Yup.

MAP might not make everyone jump for joy but I really don’t want to buy absolutely everything I require to live (knives, medication, clothes, food, beer, tools, etc.) exclusively from Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Home Depot.

Not as stupid sounding as it was a decade ago....

Some are predicting Amazon will buy Target this year.

[sal]

Hi Northmanscall, Emjay,

Welcome to our forum.

Sure seems to be a lot of opinions on what we do, what we should do, what we shouldn't do. Some of you seem to trust that we thought all of that through and did what we felt what was the best thing to do for all concerned. We don't make "flip-of-the-coin" decisions. All decisions are very carefully discussed. We're not trying to rip anyone off.

Some seem to have complaints like $450 models. We make $20 models, we make $750 models. Those prices re based on the difficulty and cost of manufacture. We certainly don't expect everyone to be able to afford all of our models. We try to make something that will serve you well, you will like it and it will have good value and pleasure for you.

To say this is for Brick and Mortar, not so. Most of the requests and thank you's came from your favorite on line dealers. We don't give the big dealers big discounts and we monitor their advertising prices as well. It's a PITA, but it seems the world is full of cheaters and those that would try to take advantage. Those of you that get enjoyment from "shopping around', you are still welcome to do so.

It's hard to believe that this thread has gone to so many pages. I wonder how many read it all of the way through before expressing an opinion? We do read all of the thought shared. I imagine we'll see in time if our decision was a good one? We always extend our best effort to conduct our business in an honest, fair and proper manner for all. As mentioned, these are tough competitive times in the Blade industry.

Chinese makers are getting better and still have a 3rd world country monetary standard. They also counterfeit like crazy? We have to compete with all of this and we try our best to do so. Try to take step back an see a bigger picture.

sal

[anagarika]

When someone is ill eastern medicine dictates that we find the source of the problem and treat that and all the negative effects will be gone. Western
medicine dictates that we patch up the symptom and go our merry way, Soon enough another symptom arises and we patch that too but know I have to take an additional medication to stop the effects of the two original patches and so on.

Raising MAP will have no positive effect in the long run it is only a patch.

The eastern & western medication comment is priceless!

...
It's hard to believe that this thread has gone to so many pages. I wonder how many read it all of the way through before expressing an opinion? We do read all of the thought shared. I imagine we'll see in time if our decision was a good one? We always extend our best effort to conduct our business in an honest, fair and proper manner for all. As mentioned, these are tough competitive times in the Blade industry.

Chinese makers are getting better and still have a 3rd world country monetary standard. They also counterfeit like crazy? We have to compete with all of this and we try our best to do so. Try to take step back an see a bigger picture.

sal

And Sal,

I do hope it works out. It’s hard to find company with enough effort to uphold ethics this day, and the free market natural selection is making environment tough for thos choosing the shiny footprints. People start realizing the bad impact if giant business model like Amazon, or Walmart, but majority of shoppers might not care, if that drives smaller (and probably more ethical, as we cannot generalize either) business out.

As it is, the humanity has to go through what it should, if non enlightened choice are made by the majority of voters (the foundation of democracy, including free economy) resulting in bad long term effects. Education and making more enlightened choices obvious to population is the only solution. The good thing about internet is making the info available for broader thinking.

I come to think about all this witnessing US election and also our own in this small town.

PS: I read all of it until my previous post, then jumped to only this page, seeing that you still post and comment.

[Peter1960]

I wonder how many read it all of the way through before expressing an opinion?

Sal I've read all posts including yours before I posted my opinion. It's my perspective and others may have their perspectives, nothing wrong with it ... I hope so .

[ross8425]

Most online shops also have a retail outlet.
Everyone of them is getting killed by Amazon.........

Yup.

MAP might not make everyone jump for joy but I really don’t want to buy absolutely everything I require to live (knives, medication, clothes, food, beer, tools, etc.) exclusively from Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Home Depot.

Not as stupid sounding as it was a decade ago....

Some are predicting Amazon will buy Target this year.

I hope they do. I buy probably 80% of what I get from Amazon. Knives I buy from dealers, Amazon is not what I consider to be a knife dealer.

Complaining about Amazon must be the new way to try to rebel. :rolleyes:

Where else can I get stuff to my house the same day, for free? I can't even go to the store for free because I have to pay for gas. Amazon complaints are laughable. Don't buy your knives from there, but buy everything else.

I am skeptical on the person coming in the house idea though, lol

[MCM]

Not faulting Spyderco at all. MAP is not a bad thing. Just looking at the bigger picture in regards to an Amazon monopoly
V.S. free capitalism. Hypocrite here, as I use Amazon as well. Think Christmas gifts etc............

[bh49]

I wonder how many read it all of the way through before expressing an opinion?

Sal I've read all posts including yours before I posted my opinion. It's my perspective and others may have their perspectives, nothing wrong with it ... I hope so .

+1
I also read all posts.

[Eli Chaps]

I hope they do. I buy probably 80% of what I get from Amazon. Knives I buy from dealers, Amazon is not what I consider to be a knife dealer.

Complaining about Amazon must be the new way to try to rebel. :rolleyes:

Where else can I get stuff to my house the same day, for free? I can't even go to the store for free because I have to pay for gas. Amazon complaints are laughable. Don't buy your knives from there, but buy everything else.

I am skeptical on the person coming in the house idea though, lol

Just because you are a patron doesn't automatically make some us hypocrites or our complaints laughable. I don't use Amazon and I don't shop at Walmart. I just don't and I manage just fine.

I'm not rebelling so much as I'm making a conscious choice to not use my money to support companies I don't agree with.

No, I don't think my measly purchases, or lack of, will have any impact but I feel good about my choices and that is enough for me.

[gaj999]

Knives I buy from dealers, Amazon is not what I consider to be a knife dealer.

I'd bet money that Amazon is the biggest knife dealer in the world ...

I'm not complaining about Amazon, I'm complaining about Spyderco selling through Amazon. Whole different kettle of fish.

[ZrowsN1s]

....
I am skeptical on the person coming in the house idea though, lol

I heard about that too. That's a big no :D

[sal]

Knives I buy from dealers, Amazon is not what I consider to be a knife dealer.

I'd bet money that Amazon is the biggest knife dealer in the world ...

I'm not complaining about Amazon, I'm complaining about Spyderco selling through Amazon. Whole different kettle of fish.

Hi Gaj,

Try to keep in mind that Spyderco is a business and can only be successful if we sell our products. We have a number of large customers that really help us in the area of sales with large distribution capabilities. We could not do what we do with variety, steels, models, new product, etc. without the sales.

sal

[FCM415]

Not faulting Spyderco at all. MAP is not a bad thing. Just looking at the bigger picture in regards to an Amazon monopoly
V.S. free capitalism. Hypocrite here, as I use Amazon as well. Think Christmas gifts etc............

So what is Amazon's place in regards to capitalism? When a company becomes too successful, should they be oenalized by monopolizing sales away from them?

Free market capitalism means no price fixes and prices are determined by the market and consumers.

Isn't price fixing a form of monopolizing as well?

[sal]

Good questions.

Not faulting Spyderco at all. MAP is not a bad thing. Just looking at the bigger picture in regards to an Amazon monopoly V.S. free capitalism. Hypocrite here, as I use Amazon as well. Think Christmas gifts etc............

So what is Amazon's place in regards to capitalism? When a company becomes too successful, should they be oenalized by monopolizing sales away from them?

That's more philosophical and would make a great topic for another thread. It does seem to work that way one way or another, in my opinion. Phone company gets too big and then it's regulated, etc. One dealer gets too big and the competitors find ways to complete, eg: MAP

Free market capitalism means no price fixes and prices are determined by the market and consumers.

Doesn't the government step in with "price fixes" (phone company) or "monopoly break-ups"?

Isn't price fixing a form of monopolizing as well?

MAP isn't price fixing, it's public advertising fixing.

sal

[FCM415]

Microsoft for example was found to be guilty in court for illegal business practices intended to monopolize their market.

Amazon and the biggest discounters like Knifeworks, CutleryShoppe, etc (who often sold Spydercos for less than Amazon btw) just sold products at margins that work for them while providing good customer service. Is that illegal in a free market? So the other dealers may fold and stop carrying Spydercos altogether. Does that mean that we cannot buy Spydercos anymore? Maybe we're trying to save the last of the brick and mortar stores that doesn't even exist anywhere near many people as it is.

So with an even playing field, we get to pay more despite Spyderco's set margins. Some say, hey, $10 here, $20 there don't be cheap and take it. That's what I'm gonna do yes and hopefully for Spyderco, enough "casual" customers do the same.